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Another breaker box/wiring question

K

Keyz

Member
I've done a few searches, and I've come up with some options, just wondering what my best/most cost effective, simpliest solution will be....

Here's the deal:

Running an 8x4 Homebox, with one 1000w and one 400w (uncooled). Today I went to the hydro store to buy an air-cooled reflector for my 400w, and ended up buying another 1000w system for a hugely discounted (floor model) price.

My tent is located in an attached garage. Currently, there is a 20 amp running everything. In order for me to run both 1000's (along with my dehumidifier, 2 vortex fans, and 2 oscillating fans, I'm assuming I'll either need to rewire everything with a different gauge wire, or set up for 240v.

There is a nice amount of distance from the basment to the garage. I haven't measured, but I'm thinking maybe 50-75 ft of wire would be needed to do so.

I'm probably going to call an electrician, unless with a few days of research and reading I find it easy enough to do myself.

Cost efficiency wise, which one is a better option?
 
R

RedRain

Well the wire that feeds that 20 amp plug, will be maxxed out if you use a larger breaker. The safe and right thing to do is run a dedicated circuit for your grow from your main board to a board in your garage. I would go with a 60 amp from your main panel, 6 guage wire from your breaker to your new board in your garage. Get a panel made up with a contactor, timer, 120v contstant plugs, and timed 240v plugs. You can easily do it yourself its not that hard at all. I am in the process of making a diagram of my board. Its safe and up to code.

Ask your electrician which leg to put the load on, or better yet ask him if your current panel can take an upgrade and what leg to install the new breaker on. You can only handle as much power as your main panel breaker can supply.

240v lets u simply draw less amps, so you can run more on a smaller amperage. If your lights can run on 240v, you can run more lights on a breaker, vs 120. Your dehum prob only runs on 120v. Most vortex style fans are wired for 120 as well, but maybe they can be re-wired for 240?? I dunno,
 
junior_grower

junior_grower

Active member
well your using 220v so youll atomatically use both legs.
easiest method is to run a single 15 amp 120v 14/2 line out to the garage ( a 75' roll is 25 bucks) and use this for the the new light.
 
growshopfrank

growshopfrank

Well-known member
Veteran
If you are gonna keep adding lights I recommend having an electrician install a circuit and receptacle for a electric range(50A a240V) or electric dryer(30A a240V) With ether of these options you would be set for expansion and the electrician wouldn't ask a lot of questions
 
K

Keyz

Member
junior_grower said:
well your using 220v so youll atomatically use both legs.
easiest method is to run a single 15 amp 120v 14/2 line out to the garage ( a 75' roll is 25 bucks) and use this for the the new light.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I'm thinking maybe this will be both my easiest and cheapest way to go. I'm in a tent, so this will be the last light addition. The only thing that will really change from here on out is that my air conditioner goes in in the summer time, and my dehumidifier comes out.

Thanks guys.

How easy is it to wire up a 14/2 line to an outlet??? Something I can do myself? I've seen it done before, and it didn't look like anything I'd be willing to spend $2-300 on as opposed to doing it myself.... It's just a pretty long distance, so I'm probably going to be doing a lot of drilling into stuff when I run the line.
 
mdk ktm

mdk ktm

Member
I would say hire an electrician if you don't have a grow yet just tell him you are going to put a welder or an air compressor in your garage. Go with a 40 amp 240 or something like that if you can. I would say have him build you a little sub panel with a 30 amp 240 and a 20 amp 110 for some fans, pumps and other little shit.

I would have the panel on some plywood, with the timers and receptacles all on that board. That way if you want to move it somewhere else you just disconnect your wire and go to another spot. I might have pictures of one I have in my album.
 
junior_grower

junior_grower

Active member
The running of two dedicate 120v 15 amp lines is as simple as drilling 3/4" holes all the way from the panel to the new plug location, and pulling wires. If your pulling two wires always pull them at the same time. Never pull a wire through an existing hole with other wires as this can burn through the outer jacket. If you pull the wires and have everything ready to go, a good electrician should be in and out in 15-20 mins, and only cost 50-75 bucks. this might be the best bet if you don't want to work on the panel yourself, if you don't mind opening up your panel its not hard to add two new breaker and tighten 6 screws.
 
R

RedRain



like I said originally

safe, easy, effective.

I would build the panel myself and have an electician run a 240v plug in your garage with a large enough breaker to power your board. Then you just install a dryer plug on your board and you're in business. You want to make sure your current board can handle the load, and both legs are balanced. You cant just toss a big breaker on one side, without calculating the load.
 
C

cheeched

Member
I'm with RedRain...But hey OP, if you're gonna be going the cheapo way, do yourself a favor and at least run 12-2, 20amps, for a few bucks more, same labor you know!..I would never, ever recommend 14 gauge wire to run even a single 1k light..Remember we're talking continuous load here..Heat, heat and more heat..Can't stress it enough, safety first brothers/sisters..
Check it out keyz, in the future you can always change out the single pole 20amp breaker for a double pole, and run your lights @220v..2-3 1k's on 20amp@220v is safer and more efficient, than 1k on 14 gauge/15amp @120v..No matter what anyone tells you, 14gauge wire is the shites..Don't do it..Now for convenience e.g. timers, controllers, oscillating, it's fine, if you must...Me I'm a minimum 12gauge guy..
Good luck bro!..
 
junior_grower

junior_grower

Active member
RedRain said:
do you not have to balance a board? you have to evenly distribute the load to both legs.
Click to expand...

yes and no 220v no but 120v circuits do in fact need to be balanced to a point.


if he only wants a single extra light than the single 14/2 line is all he needs. We don't all think like gangster,s and were not all trying to become rich growing cannabis. Some grow so they don't have to buy swag from a shady dealer.
 
localman

localman

Member
OK off topic a bit.. sorry to jack your thread.. Can someone LEAD me in the right direction.. I have a Dryer plug in my room but I don't understand how to plug my ballast into it... the 240v plug is diff then my dryer 3 prong.. what do i do as a noob w 240v? Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
S

SmilinBob

Member
Unscrew the two screws holding the face plate on, unscrew the screws holding the receptacle in, and replace it with the one you need.
 
Stress_test

Stress_test

I'm always here when I'm not someplace else
Veteran
Do you have an open breaker slot in the main service box?
10/3 wire only costs between 17 or 25 cents per foot. Pull another run of wire and you can do whatever you want with it. I mean 10/3 will handle 30 amps AND you can still have the original 120v circuit as well... Plus you can break a 10/3 240v circuit into two separate 120v circuits and have three dedicated 120v circuits if you want or keep the 240v and a 120v as well.:dance013:



localman said:
OK off topic a bit.. sorry to jack your thread.. Can someone LEAD me in the right direction.. I have a Dryer plug in my room but I don't understand how to plug my ballast into it... the 240v plug is diff then my dryer 3 prong.. what do i do as a noob w 240v? Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Most dryer service breakers are 30 amp and 10/3w/ground @ 240v. (However some were installed "in the old days" with a 50 amp service and 6/3 wire, like mine).

The first thing you need to do is isolate the circuit breaker supplying the outlet and turn it off. If you have kids in the house or somebody else then I suggest that you lock out the service box so nobody turns on the power while you are working on it.

You are actually lucky to have a 30 amp service already in your garden. If you

Unfortunately: MOST dryer services are located close to the floor and you will want to relocate it about 3 or 4 feet up the wall.

Next what you need is to determine what size wire is feeding the outlet and buy about 15 feet more of the same size wire.
You will also need a junction box and 3 or 4 wire nuts for it. You will need a sub panel and appropriate outlets to supply your equipment. (Which you should have already figured out if you have made a plan for your garden).

Actually I began responding before I thought about your question...

The first thing you need to do is plan your garden. Figure out what equipment you need to power and what it will draw for power.
 
localman

localman

Member
well I wish my dryer outlet was Downstairs where my bloom room will be... it is across the house upstairs next to the front door, so I plan to get a Homebox for Veg and draw the Thousand from the dryer outlet..

Thanks for the info
 
rives

rives

Inveterate Tinkerer
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Localman, both of the above suggestions work (SmilinBob's and Frank is what I was referring to - I shouldn't get distracted between hitting the reply button and actually answering!). If you change out the dryer receptacle, the breaker will need to be sized down to whatever the ampacity of the receptacle is. The protection (the circuit breaker) should be rated at whatever the lowest ampacity device is that is on that circuit. If you do a search, there were some nice looking panels on ebay like Frank is talking about. I think that the company offering them would custom build them if one of their stocked models was not what you were looking for.
 
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